On December 11 last year, the High Court stayed a provisional order of the ED attaching Rs 822 crore of bank deposits belonging to Mahindra Satyam in the money laundering case involving former Satyam Chairman B Ramalinga Raju and others.

According to the ED's petition, the agency contended that Mahindra Satyam has straight away approached the High Court without approaching the proper forum -- Adjudicating Authority under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) -- to resolve the dispute.

The ED had on October 18 last year issued a provisional attachment order of the IT company's fixed deposits in the money laundering case related to the previous management.

"The writ appellant (ED) submits that the petitioner had an opportunity/alternative statutory appellate remedy to prove that the properties attached by the respondents are acquired through legal sources before Adjudicating Authority ...by producing documentary evidence to that affect and get the attachment set aside," the ED said in its petition.

"The writ petitioners (Mahindra Satyam) without approaching the proper forum, to redress their grievance contemplated under the Act, straight away approached the court," it said.

The ED in its petition also said that the High Court judge ought not to have granted stay and instead directed the company to approach the Adjudicating Authority.

The Adjudicating Authority under PMLA has earlier issued notices to Satyam Computer Services Ltd to appear before it in connection with the money laundering case related to the previous management.

The High Court took up the ED's petition last week and posted the matter for hearing on February 26.